Those Moody Blues -- The Great Bluesman Robert Cray - Famous For His Searing, Aching Songs Of Deceit And Betrayal - Shows He Also Has A Lighter Side

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The Robert Cray Band and Booker T. Jones, 7 p.m. Wednesday and next Thursday, Summer Nights at the Pier, Pier 62/63; $28, 206-628-0888; Pier Hotline: 206-281-8111.

Is Robert Cray going soft?

The great bluesman, who got his start in the Northwest, is famous for his searing, aching songs of deceit, betrayal, guilt, revenge and paranoia.

But on his new album, "Sweet Potato Pie," his 10th, he comes across as a sensitive romantic, happily in love, displaying not a trace of doubt or cynicism.

"There are a lot of love songs," Cray agreed in a phone interview from his home near San Francisco. "I wasn't even aware of it going in. It was brought up by a couple of people during the mixing, and then I saw it. I guess it's a reflection of what's going on now in my life. We took an R&B jump with this one, so that was part of it, too."

Of course, there are a couple of songs where the old, troubled Cray persona crops up, including the opening cut, "Nothing Against You," in which the narrator begs to be left alone with his depression, and the dark, brooding "Back Home," which warns about the pitfalls of street life, of "flirting with danger" and "associating with evil."

As always with Cray, he slams home the messages of the songs with brilliant guitar solos that are as eloquent as his lyrics. His playing is even more spare and pointed than before, achieving more with less. Like one of his heroes (and now a close friend), B.B. King, Cray's guitar can speak volumes in just a few notes.

And, as fans well know, in concert the solos almost always differ from the recorded versions, sometimes dramatically. Cray is one of those restless artists - like Bob Dylan - who can't do a song the same way twice, which makes his live shows especially fascinating and compelling.

Offstage, he's nothing like the characters he inhabits in his songs. Shy, soft-spoken and invariably polite, Cray, who turns 44 next week, seemingly saves all his fire for his music.

"I have to beware of getting pied," he said of his birthday. "They have to be bold to get me. But we get everybody on their birthday, so I guess we have it coming."

He fears it will be a sweet potato pie. "It's going to be harder to get off. It won't be just a cream pie this time."

Cray's guitar genius has made him a worldwide phenomenon. His close ties to the Northwest make his visits here all the more special.

A military brat, he was born in Columbus, Ga., but grew up in Tacoma, graduating from Lakes High School. (His parents, Henry and Maggie Cray, still live in Tacoma.) Introduced to the blues by friends and his father's record collection, he was also influenced by Jimi Hendrix.

After stints in high-school rock bands, his blues career was forged in the bars, blues joints and concert stages of the Northwest, first in the college town of Eugene, Ore., then in Portland and finally here in Seattle and Vancouver, B.C.

He played many gigs here with Texas blues great Albert Collins, "The Master of the Telecaster," who actually played at Cray's senior prom. Five years later, they shared a bill and became close friends. Cray learned about music, and the music business, from him. (Cray was a pallbearer at Collins' funeral in 1993.)

Cray built a national audience through constant touring, scoring his biggest international breakthrough with 1986's "Strong Persuader" album on Mercury, the label for which he still records.

With inspired lyrics in songs such as "Smoking Gun," "Right Next Door" and "Guess I Showed Her," and backup from the Memphis Horns - with which he has worked, off and on, ever since - the album remains the best-seller of his career.

Cray's success gave a new, young face to the blues, and helped revitalize it all over the world. Virtually all of the great living blues artists - from B.B. King to Muddy Waters to Eric Clapton to John Lee Hooker and Buddy Guy - embraced and celebrated Cray. Many of the young bluesmen making waves today - including Jonny Lang and Kenny Wayne Shepherd - were inspired by him.

Young guitarists flock to Cray's shows for inspiration.

"They oughta make a law that guys should bring dates," he quipped. "The front of the stage is always just guys, and you know they all play guitar."

But, kidding aside, he's proud to be an inspiration, just as Collins and King were for him.

The Robert Cray Band recorded its latest album in Memphis and many of the tracks have that classic Stax Records sound the city is known for. He recorded with the Memphis Horns again, and with his road band - Jim Pugh on keyboards, Karl Sevareid on bass and Kevin Hayes on drums. The band just returned Monday from a European tour, and after the shows here will join B.B. King and the Memphis Horns for a national tour.